Request anyone to shuffle his own deck, and count the cards to insure its
completeness. Take the deck back, snap a band around it and toss it to a
spectator. This move to the pocket for the elastic has served to cover the
palming off and getting away with the top card of the shuffled deck.
The spectator receiving the cards is asked to look them through, note any
card, and remember its number (position) from the FACE of the pack. He
also is told to note the card immediately behind. Then he is to close the
deck and bring it to the performer.
52 minus the number of his card from the face of the pack gives the
number of cards lying above it (if the pack really contained 52 cards – but
it actually only contains 51) when the deck now is held face down.
Request him to perform the subtraction mentally and then to deal on your
outstretched hand the number of cards lying above his. He thinks his card
lies on top of his packet but really it lies on yours. And you proceed to
make him doubly sure by lifting off the top two cards of your packet as
one (double lift). The action shows the face card of the two (supposedly
one) to be the card he originally noted above his. It satisfies him all the
more that he has his card on top of his pile.
He now is told to push his card (top) into the middle of his packet and
shuffle. During this time the performer has palmed off the top card of his
packet and dropped it carelessly into his pocket. the spectator is asked
how many cards his packet contains. He mentions the number and then
counts them to find one missing. He looks for his card. It isn’t there. And
the performer can make much to do about producing it.
This method of card control lends itself well for use with the Card In
Pocketbook or Card in Sealed Envelope effects. Or it may be glimpsed
on top of the performer’s packet and shuffled into spelling position for
subsequent denouement when it is found missing from its owners group
of cards.